1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to safety systems that provide warning signals, in particular to safety systems that provide signals that provide warnings of on-coming trains approaching a nearby railroad highway intersection, and more particularly pertains to a xe2x80x9csilentxe2x80x9d warning system which alerts the operator of a vehicle when a train is approaching an railroad highway intersection without substantially increasing the ambient noise level of the surrounding neighborhood.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Noise has long been recognized as an environmental xe2x80x9cpollutantxe2x80x9d which can significantly compromise the quality of life in a number of ways, such as directly disturbing sleep and by interfering with daily activities. Furthermore, it is well established in the medical community, that prolonged exposure to excessive noise levels can lead to significant losses in hearing. Therefore, for at least these reasons, it is no surprise that neighborhood communities throughout the United States have established a variety of noise abatement programs that are explicitly designed to reduce the amounts of excessive ambient noise levels escaping into these neighborhood environments. Much success in reducing unwanted noise in neighborhoods near freeways has been achieved by simply erecting large walls that either reflect away or absorb freeway noise in order to minimize the ambient noise levels found in those surrounding neighborhoods. Innovative strategies, such as, restrictive placement of airports and even limiting the operating times an airport, have also proven to be effective strategies in minimizing unwanted noise levels in the surrounding neighborhoods. Unfortunately, little or no efforts has been attempted to limit the enhanced noise levels associated with the various warning systems used by railroad train systems to warn of their impending approach into railroad highway intersections. Time honored warning systems, such as, using train whistles or cross buck bell clangs to warn motorist have traditionally been an accepted nuisance to the non-motorist residents in the nearby adjacent communities. As a consequence, trains whistles may blow and train intersection cross bucks may clang at all hours of the day or night, and as a result adversely affect the quality of life and even lower the property values of the surrounding neighborhoods.
A number of different strategies have been implemented in the hopes of limiting ambient noise levels, however many of these strategies have simultaneously created a number of very undesirable consequences. For instance, present day automobile manufacturers are building soundproof vehicles so that the motoring consumer becomes effectively isolated from exterior audible sound sources. As a consequence, this trend in producing better sound proofed motor vehicles is likely to lead to more accidents because the motorist are likely to be unable to hear a given warning signal, such as not hearing a warning from a train whistle nor hear the incessant cross bucks clanging at a given railroad highway intersection. This noise avoidance strategy maybe further frustrated when operating various emergency vehicles because these vehicles themselves contribute to significant amounts of noise to the surrounding environment due to their blaring sirens. As a consequence of enabling sirens to emit loud warning signals, the emergency vehicle itself enhances the likelihood of creating a hazardous road condition because the siren noise coupled with the sound proof insulation of the emergency vehicle effectively blocks any other external noises from alerting the emergency vehicle motorist of any other external audible warning signal.
Since there are several hundred thousand railroad roadway intersections that exist in the United States, it is undisputed that it is important to provide a reliable and accurate means of warning motorist of an approaching train to prevent accidents. A 1975 study prepared for the U.S. Department for Transportation entitled xe2x80x9cFeasibility Study of In-Vehicle Warning Systemxe2x80x9d(DOT HS-801 569) confirms the importance of warning motorist by indicating that there are approximately 12,000 railroad crossing accidents annually. These train-motor vehicle accidents result in a tremendous cost to our society in terms of loss of lives, medical payments and increased expenses to railroads. These accidents occur even though these intersections are equipped with a conventional xe2x80x9ccross buckxe2x80x9d warning bell and light mounted pole that is expensive to build and to maintain. Furthermore, because of the expense in building and maintaining these xe2x80x9ccross buckxe2x80x9d warning systems, it has been estimated that well over one hundred thousand railroad roadway intersections in the United States alone have no warning system what so ever. As a consequence, approaching trains must blare their whistles in order to warn any nearby motorist of their imminent approach into these unprotected intersections. Therefore, to overcoming the technical drawbacks of the prior systems, there is a significant economic need for a simple, economic and reliable railroad crossing warning device.
The radio warning system for hazard avoidance disclosed by Smith in U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,493 provides a transmitter that calculates and subsequently transmits a digital radio data signal to a receiver which in turn deconvolutes this digital radio data signal and subsequently alerts the user of a potential hazardous condition through the use of an audible, visual or tactile alarm. Because the Smith disclosure necessarily requires relatively elaborate and sophisticated electronics to generate and eventually translate this digital radio data signal, the economic affordability of the Smith device is likely to limit acceptance of this device. In addition, due to the complexity of the electronic devices, the Smith disclosure may also be prone to frequent failures.
The train warning system disclosed by Ferrari in U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,213 provides a compact wireless railroad/highway crossing safety warning system that actively alerts motor vehicles operators and locomotive operators to potentially dangerous route conditions that may arise at a railroad intersection where the Ferrari disclosed invention is installed. Ferrari disclosure would require that at each railroad crossing intersection a pressure sensor, as well as, a beacon transmitter must be installed so that the pressure sensor can detect the on-coming train and subsequently activate the beacon so that the beacon can transmit a warning signal to any nearby vehicle that has a responsive receivers. Therefore, for the Ferrari disclosure to be an effective safety alert system in America""s railroad system, every railroad crossing intersection in America would have this equipment installed at or near each intersection. As a consequence, the Ferrari disclosure suffers a number of serious drawbacks, in particular, the Ferrari disclosure appears to be economically infeasible due to the projected expenses in providing the necessary equipment as well as installing the equipment at each railroad intersection in America. Furthermore, the Ferrari disclosure also suffers from an inherent disadvantage of being prone to having vandals who could disrupt the installed equipment at any given railroad intersection.
The wireless train proximity alert system disclosed by Shirkey and Casella in U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,982 includes a transmitter mounted onto a train communicating to a crossing-based transceiver for receiving the transmitter signal that in turn communicates a warning signal to a vehicle-based receiver. Therefore, for the Shirkey and Casella disclosure to be an effective safety alert system in America""s railroad system, every railroad crossing intersection in America would have this equipment installed at or near each intersection. As a consequence, the Shirkey and Casella disclosure suffers a number of serious drawbacks, in particular, the Shirkey and Casella disclosure appears to be economically infeasible due to the projected expenses in providing the necessary equipment as well as installing the equipment at each railroad intersection in America. Furthermore, the Shirkey and Casella disclosure also suffers from an inherent disadvantage of being prone to having vandals who could disrupt the installed equipment at any given railroad intersection.
The railway crossing collision avoidance system disclosed by Welk in U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,682 provides a tracking apparatus mounted onto a train which transmits a signal to a satellite communications receiver which in turn transmits a signal to a processor mounted at a railroad crossing so that an alarm may be activated to alert any person near that particular railroad intersection. Therefore, for the Welk disclosure to be an effective safety alert system in America""s railroad system, every railroad crossing intersection in America would have this equipment installed at or near each intersection. As a consequence, the Welk disclosure suffers a number of serious drawbacks, in particular, the Welk disclosure appears to be economically infeasible due to the projected expenses in providing the necessary equipment as well as installing the equipment at each railroad intersection in America. Furthermore, the Welk disclosure also suffers from an inherent disadvantage of being prone to having vandals who could disrupt the installed equipment at any given railroad intersection.
The system for providing a warning when vehicles approach a common collision point disclosed by Fuhrmann and Friedman in U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,793 discloses a train mounted transmitter which communicates to a receiver at a given railroad intersection, so that the receiver may transmit a warning signal to any vehicle that has a responsive receiver, to indicate that the train and the vehicle are near a common collision point. Therefore, for the Fuhrmann and Friedman disclosure to be an effective safety alert system in America""s railroad system, every railroad crossing intersection in America would have this equipment installed at or near each intersection. As a consequence, the Fuhrrmann and Friedman disclosure suffers a number of serious drawbacks, in particular, the Fuhrmann and Friedman disclosure appears to be economically infeasible due to the projected expenses in providing the necessary equipment as well as installing the equipment at each railroad intersection in America. Furthermore, the Fuhrmann and Friedman disclosure also suffers from an inherent disadvantage of being prone to having vandals who could disrupt the installed equipment at any given railroad intersection.
One of the advantages of the present invention is to avoid loud, blaring train horns that continually disrupt neighborhoods and lives. Another advantage of the present invention is to make available an economically feasible and electronically reliable system that can warn motorist of approaching trains while simultaneously not alerting the entire neighborhood of that approaching train. Yet another advantage of the present invention is to make available a warning system that is less prone to damage and disruption caused by vandals. At present, towns and neighborhood communities are being repeatedly being interrupted by the loud and blaring noise from train horns at all hours of the day or night, a silent warning system could effectively warn the people actually in danger, i.e., warn the motorist himself of an on-coming train. Therefore, the present invention provides a means of eliminating significant noise pollution and consequently allowing peaceful sleeping. Another advantage of the silent warning system is that it is likely to increase property values of residential homes near railroad crossing intersections.
Whether accidents are caused by the inattention of the drivers, undesirable weather conditions or inadequate traffic planning, a railroad crossing collision avoidance system is desirable which is capable of warning the motorist as well as not significantly contributing to any substantial increase to the ambient level of noise in the surrounding neighborhoods.
The present invention of a xe2x80x9csilentxe2x80x9d warnings system is designed to alert only the motorist approaching the railway crossings that actually need to be alerted to a present and potential danger of an on-coming train, instead of awakening the entire township in the vicinity of the railroad highway intersection.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exist a continuing need for new and improved safety warning system to alert motor vehicle operators of trains approaching into nearby intersections whereby minimizing any excessive noise pollution to the adjacent community. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of train warning systems now present in the prior art, the present invention provides and improved safety warning system to alert the particular motor vehicle operators of any trains that may be approaching into nearby intersections while simultaneously maintaining a minimal contribution to any excessive noise to the adjacent community. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in great detail, is to provide a new and improved xe2x80x9csilentxe2x80x9d train warning system that has many of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a safety alarm system forewarning a motor vehicle operator of a train approaching into a nearby railroad highway crossing, wherein said safety alarm system does not substantially increase the ambient noise level of the surrounding area proximate to the nearby railroad highway crossing, comprising: a transmitter mounted onto the train having: a radar emitting unit for producing a non-audible analog radar beacon signal, wherein said radar emitting unit is powered by an first electrical power supply connected to said radar emitting unit; and an electronic switch electrically connected to said radar emitting unit and connected to the first electrical power supply, wherein said electronic switch is capable of being used by the train engineer to enable and disenable said radar emitting unit from emitting the non-audible analog radar beacon signal; and a receiver mounted onto a motor vehicle having: a detector means electrically connected to a second electrical power supply, wherein said detector means is for detecting the non-audible analog radar beacon signal; and an alerting means electrically connected to said detector means and connected to the second electrical power supply, wherein said alerting means is for alerting the motor vehicle operator of the train approaching into the nearby railroad highway crossing, wherein said alerting means is an audible speaker system electrically connected to the second electrical power supply, and mounted within the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, wherein said audible speaker system is capable of emitting an audible buzzing sound sufficiently loud for alerting the motor vehicle operator of the approaching train, and wherein said audible speaker system is for not significantly contributing to a substantial increase to the ambient noise level in the surrounding neighborhood of the nearby railroad highway crossing.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution of the art may be better appreciated. There are of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it into be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.